Not All Who Wander are Lost

 

wan·der/ˈwändər/

Verb: Walk or move in a leisurely, casual, or aimless way.

     Wandering is my new favorite thing and fortunately London is perfect for it. No matter where you are in London chances are there is a bus stop or tube station nearby and if you can get to a bus or tube you can most certainly get home. 

      London also makes a perfect wandering paradise because for every famous/beautiful/old thing you come to there is indubitably another famous/beautiful/old thing within eyesight. So really, it's just a large historical version of connect-the-dots:

"Oh hey! Buckingham palace! This is so nice, what a pretty...

HEY PELICANS! Wow, they're huge. I wish I were a pelic...

oooohh, pretty houses! I wonder what these were used for. Oh look! I found Big Ben!" 

You walk from one interesting place to another until strangely your feet start to hurt, your stomach growls and you notice the sun is setting. It's like an ambulatory ADD fantasy - yes, please.

     Yet another reason London is fabulous for contentedly distracted walkers: signs. There are signs everywhere. Hop off the tube: exit signs, transfer signs, signs announcing the next arriving train and destination.  Walk to a busy corner: toilet signs, street signs, historic site signs, footpath signs. Stroll through a park: bicycle signs, dog waste signs, park maps, monument signs, wildlife keys. I feel like I'm living in Richard Scarry's busy busy world. So really, getting lost is hardly an option because all you have to do is look around, identify a monument, or find a sign. Simple as that. I mean, seriously folks - for those of you that know me, imagine planting me in the middle of a strange city and letting me loose. I have found my way home every night. Now that's saying a lot for a city's organization and labeling. 

Thanks London.